The Ayuntamiento was of stone, and of the European type of architecture. The old clock tower that formerly topped the facade was thrown down in the earthquake of June 3, 1863, at which time the building suffered such general damage that the town council and other bodies using it for a meeting place had to abandon it for a time.


During Spanish times the Ayuntamiento was generally known as the Cabildo (the capitol), from which fact calle Cabildo takes its name. The town council, aside from holding meetings there, assembled there to view from the upper balconies, the fiestas celebrated on the occasion of the arrival in Manila of a new governor general, or a new archbishop; and in the halls, the great receptions and balls of the period took place. 


On May 30, 1871, after 8 years of its damaged beyond its use, Sr. Botella, the municipal architect, submitted plans for a new building, but the town council rejected them because the space allotted and its distribution were inadequate to the city's requirements. As Botella became occupied with other duties as engineer officer of the Spanish military forces, the Governor-general commissioned the ports and highways engineer, Eduardo Lopez Navarro to draw new plans.


Lopez Navarro's plans were the ones followed in the building as it stood before it was destroyed by heavy bombardment of Manila in 1945.


Wesley Merrit's headquarters were here when he commanded the American forces of occupation in August 13, 1898 and assumed the duties of military governor.


General Otis, and then General MacArthur, succeeding Merritt as military governor, had their offices in the Ayuntamiento. 


Governors Taft, Wright, Ide, Smith, Forbes, and Harrison had their offices here. 


The first American laws for the Philippines, the general orders of the military governors, and the acts of the Philippine Commission, were enacted here.


Sergio Osmena long had his office here, both as speaker of the Philippine Assembly, which held its sessions here, in the Marble Hall, and as speaker of the house of representatives when the full legislature began functioning in 1916.






Reference: 
American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, Volume 9, Number 10, October 1929 
Photo credit: <a href="http://philippineamericanwar.webs.com" class="news_link" target="_blank" title="Photo credit">http://philippineamericanwar.webs.com</a>

January 31, 1735: Fernando Valdez y Tamon, the laid the corner stone of the Ayuntamiento